FuturePrint Podcast
FuturePrint is dedicated to and passionate about the power of print technology to enable new opportunities and create new value. This pod features deep-dive discussions with the people behind the tech as well as market analysis, trends, marketing and storytelling!
FuturePrint Podcast
#327 - Fast and smart single-pass digital print solutions. A conversation with Ruud Oderkerken and Sven Bongartz, Bergstein
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Single-pass inkjet is no longer just “printing faster”, it is changing how manufacturers mark, identify and customise products on the line. We sit down with Ruud Oderkerken and Sven Bongartz from Bergstein in the Netherlands to unpack what’s driving the shift to direct-to-object digital printing as production runs fragment, labour costs rise and sustainability targets tighten.
We get specific about where industrial inkjet delivers real value: replacing labels with durable printing onto parts, adding variable data like QR codes and barcodes for traceability, and keeping output stable even when jobs change constantly. Ruud explains how a modern single-pass platform combines surface treatment, primers, colour capability and optional vision systems to protect adhesion and print quality across different substrates, while staying modular so customers can add capabilities as their needs grow.
Software becomes the through-line of the conversation. We explore why Bergstein builds key tools in-house and what its Print Manager means for the factory floor, from connecting ERP to the printer to managing workflow, multi-printer control and remote servicing. We also talk ROI with a concrete business case and preview the Digi1, a compact tabletop-style system aimed at making the jump from pad printing to digital far easier, backed by an expanding partner network across Europe and the Americas.
If you want more on industrial inkjet, single-pass digital printing and direct-to-object manufacturing workflows, subscribe, share the show with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest question about going digital.
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Welcome To Future Print Podcast
SPEAKER_05Welcome to the Future Print Podcast, celebrating print technology and the people behind it.
SPEAKER_01Well, hi there. Welcome to this week's Future Print Podcast. And I'm pleased to have two guests with me today. Both from the uh very, very famous, it's a uh company in Netherlands called Bergstein. Uh many of you will know Peter Bergstein. He's a character that uh the industrial print market knows well, but I've brought in two of two of his colleagues. Um Ruth Oerderkirken. Ruth, hi. Hi. Hi. Thank you for having us. Yeah, thanks. Good good to see you and good to be speaking to you, Ruth. Um, and his colleague Sven Bondart, who is relatively new to the business, um, but you know, what we always like to see in the kind of inkjet world is a younger face.
SPEAKER_00Hi, Fraser.
Meet The Bergstein Team
SPEAKER_01Hi, Sven. So, gentlemen, um, let's let's start with you introing yourselves because I think um it'll be useful for people to find out a bit more about you. Ruth, do you want to start uh just explaining what you do for Bergstein?
SPEAKER_02Yes, absolutely. So um, yeah, I'm uh Ruud Oedekergen, and uh I've been working for the past three years as a global sales manager for uh Birgshamp Digital. And just a little bit of my background. My background is uh both software and hardware engineering, yeah. So where I spent about, let's say, 10 years in features and development, uh building for me a technical foundation. And over the last uh 25 years, uh I moved into uh international technical sales, and uh I was working across different industries where printing uh plays an important role. And for me, this combination uh of technical knowledge and international sales uh really helps uh in working closely with uh the customers and uh finding yeah, let's say the solutions that fit them best.
SPEAKER_01And and we'll hear more about your uh your coverage of the international market because I know books are very active internationally. Um Sven, just give us a quick intro to yourself. You've been there uh about a month or so, so it's always interesting hearing the opinion of someone who's come in from the outside to look at our market.
SPEAKER_00Okay, I will do my best. Um hi, I'm uh I'm Sven Bongart. Uh yeah, like I said, I uh I started here a month ago at Bergstein. Um uh joined the team of Peter and uh Ruud uh as also global sales manager.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I um um maybe I look uh still young, I'm glad of that, but I also bring already 20 years of experience, and uh um 15 years of that was um uh at the international uh consulting company where I was um uh responsible for uh a business unit and um uh I managed a team of six sales and business developer staff team. Brilliant.
Life Inside A Lean Innovator
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So Sven, just to finish off, as you said, just as we were having a chat beforehand, you know, you previously worked in a big organization. Bergstein is a bit smaller, but because of that, it's kind of lean, quick, moving, innovative. What would you say your sort of first month's impression of the business?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, what I uh uh good question. I can only answer it completely true. It's really dynamic here. It's uh um uh uh not one day is the same. Yeah, um yeah, um but what um um how to say that in English correctly, uh uh what really impressed me is the knowledge here of the yeah uh uh of the machines and of the industry, and that I really have to catch up quickly to make sure that uh yeah, I gain the same knowledge and that I can uh use my um yeah uh yeah, my expertise from the past to to make sure that uh Bergstein unlock its market potential because um yeah, I really see that uh at the moment.
Why Single-Pass Beats Traditional Printing
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's good to hear. Um so Bergstein, specialist in single pass digital printing, I would say that's probably if we were trying to sum it up. Um just for anyone who kind of doesn't get it in that way, why is single pass digital printing interesting in terms of uh reflection against traditional printing technologies? Why is single pass so interesting, Ruth?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, just so that uh across uh nearly every industry uh we see the same pattern uh uh historical details, uh more production variants, wider mix of uh both smaller and larger batch sizes, uh less inventory uh being held, uh increasing pressure to operate more sustainable, and of course, uh the rising labor costs uh on top of that. Finding self-production stuff is becoming increasingly difficult. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01And and that will happen, you know, that will continue, won't it, in the current economic climate.
SPEAKER_02Um sorry, Ruth, go on so um yeah, the single-class printing uh automates a significant part of the workflow, it eliminates uh manual setups and range job changes and reduces uh dependency on specialized operators. And uh yeah, this result in higher efficiency and lowers uh the costs and uh yeah, and far greater flexibility.
Direct-To-Object Use Cases And Sectors
SPEAKER_01Yeah, sure. Yeah, and are there particular industries uh that really are interested in this kind of technology? Are there particular applications? Sven, what what do you think?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, what I um uh notice here is that almost any uh yeah, uh any sector that requires a speed or quantities or more cost efficiency is um um yeah it's interesting, and they are they are um yeah, they are leading the shift. More variation, scalability, yeah, a stable printing process. Yeah, and when you look um uh yeah more closer to the industries that we are focusing on, yeah, yeah. At the moment, that's that's that's tooling, tooling than um uh electronics, but also automotive, consumer packaging, yeah, are industries that we have solar solutions to. Don't forget medical.
SPEAKER_02So, what we see uh what we see often uh is uh also that it is then for those industries and that we replace labeling and that we pin direct to the object.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, what we also see is uh that it is interesting to add this uh variable data uh with UR codes and barcodes and see other numbers for the traceability. And uh yeah, they want personalization per product. Uh and uh in that case, yeah, that is absolutely uh also the reason to consider a change from analog parenthesic to digital. Yeah, of course. That is the main reason.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Um, interestingly, when we were at our event in Munich, I know you were there. Um a lot of the talk around industrial inkjet was around director shape. It was it was the topic that people were talking about um increasingly. And as you say yourself, it's it's not necessarily just product decoration, it could also be very specific to a part within a manufacturing process.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
The DigiFamily Modular Workflow Platform
SPEAKER_01So um, yeah, I think you're right, it gives the flexibility. So um just clarity in terms of Bergstein, because there are obviously other people in the market doing uh kind of single pass uh digital printing on shapes. What's unique about Bergstein?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, um yeah, what what's unique about uh Bergstein single pass, uh the DigiFamily? Um in fact, the strength of this Bergstein single pass solutions is that we bring uh many technologies combined in a standard printer parts for. And if you look at it and it includes this different three treatments that we have available uh in our machines, uh let's say plasma or corona. Um we have different jetwork primers available for several uh different substrates. We have uh then, of course, the double white CMYK print cassettes, uh our own cassettes, um our own uh flow modules, spinny cassettes, uh the Q-ring, and optional also vision systems, but all is modular, and that means that we have standard printers available with all this uh potential functionality available. And uh, because of all these processes and can be configured, uh you have in fact full control over the complete workflow. And of course, this this helps uh to achieve uh yeah consistent print quality and uh strong adhesion uh for different applications, uh there are many. Um and of course also for different substrates, and uh yeah, that is ensuring the real reliability and uh our proven performance. And in fact, uh bringing that together in one reliable platform, uh we can adjust that and to meet yeah almost every uh yeah uh requirement for application. Yeah, the system is uh also designed, and it's really a strong point, uh, to grow with you in the future. That means when you are getting new business, it is uh it is possible to expand your printer and your standard printer with additional options and features uh yeah to be added later, even if you were not selected, uh selecting those options at the start.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And what is also uh then we have standard printers, but then we have uh the project-specific elements uh that we are also taking care of. And that means that uh of course for all different applications uh you need uh certain product shakes uh where are designed to handle specific parts or shapes as well. Uh that you need special software functionalities, uh we have that in-house, and therefore we can uh act very, very fast. Yeah, and that's of course, of course, the the customer's workflow.
Print Manager Links ERP To Press
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, can let me just pick up on that. Um yeah, of course. So Sven, just the software, that's interesting, isn't it? It's as a as a company, you've got your own software. So so why is that? Why do you choose to do that rather than kind of uh using external?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, good question. I think um uh what I heard when I'm talking here to the software engineers. Um uh yeah, they say it's the it's also the architecture uh now it's more the intelligence of the machine, they were explaining me. Um and one part of the large part of the printer, sorry, the printer is mechanical, of course. Yeah, um, um, but the software makes yeah, everything work and everything control. Um yeah, and that's what yeah, we what you want. Uh you want the perfect image, you want the perfect um um uh positioning, and in the end, um software will help you to become yeah, also future-proof, yeah. Um yeah, and and that you yeah, what is the right word in English? Um that you integrate also in the uh yeah, in the system of the of the customer, um that it um communicate with each other.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, sure, sure. Um, is there an example of a kind of business case that you've got?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, uh is it okay when I just add something to this software? Because I think we we skipped an important uh item. Um it is so that uh I think our uh Harm E software, so you human machine interface that is well known. Uh, but uh now we also uh are launching our new Bergstein Print Manager. Uh very interesting. What is it called again? Just tell me again the Bergstein Print Manager.
SPEAKER_01Print Manager, right. Okay, so it's your own software, is it?
SPEAKER_02And that is really taking care of the connection between the ERP system of the customer and and towards our DG platform, yeah. Um, and it is uh an MES system, and that is uh uh a manufacturing execution system, and of course, uh we have an RP available to connect to other uh processes as well. But this software is super strong and is managing the complete workflow, and that means that we take care of a very, very good print shop preparation, controlling multiple printers, uh we compile print shops on the fly that gives a lot of possibilities uh in in really challenging applications. Um we yeah, remote service and uh check printers on distance, yeah, and we can also um do backups and software updates remotely.
SPEAKER_01Uh right.
SPEAKER_02You know, we are creating, let's say, an open toolbox and with uh a super uh yeah extended software functionality, in fact. Yeah, but um also taking care of uh security and performance, of course. Yeah, yeah. This is really uh yeah, in-house um uh development, uh, where we uh invest a lot of uh yeah uh time and uh and money, but this is really a very strong point in the complete uh DG uh solution.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, sure. That's uh a valid point. And it also, as you said, it's kind of rather than taking an external and kind of locking it onto the system, you develop the system internally with the guys, the engineers, the software engineers, to provide a more fitting um software solution. So that's really good to hear.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, to go back, the hardware and the software together in one in one system.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, that that that helps, doesn't it? And um, and that probably you know, you'll know the kind of applications that you're gonna be working with, so you'll be able to make sure that that software fits well. Um I was just going mentioning this business case. Is there a business case you want to mention?
The ROI Argument For Digital
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I would like to start just also to point out what is a business case for us. Um and then I can come up with the business case we have. But uh for us, um yeah, we have to demonstrate uh both the technical and the financial value of a solution, and uh on the technical side, uh it starts with providing the right solutions in terms of uh the print speed, uh quality, adhesion, durability, etc. And of course, those elements uh need to match uh the customer's production needs. Yeah. Um we always start with a quick scan by filling out uh a questionnaire so we have all relevant information available. Um and we also give uh directly a clear insight into the expected investment uh and in the operating cost. Um however, what we see uh what is happening more and more is uh that the convincing arguments uh next to the technical solution is also that uh you have a really interesting overall savings. And when we see that customers are moving uh from uh analog printing to single pass digital, um yeah, you you know they that they can achieve uh significant reductions in uh consumables and labor costs. Uh but okay, also uh they can uh print more sustainable, scalable, and controllable, and that makes it compatible with this new industrial 4.0. But just to mention uh a business case, we have one customer uh who has let's say uh moving from um uh analog to our single-class digital, uh he saves up to uh 100k euro a year on consumables, and then you see that he can uh that they go from three shifts to one shift, yeah. They can operate our uh solution with one operator, and he had three people each shift, three chefs, so he goes from nine people to one person, yeah. And that is of course a saving that you have on lifetime, yeah. And uh yeah, we see that that is now more and more here uh uh in Europe. This is really a very interesting business case, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Digi1 A Tabletop Pad Alternative
SPEAKER_01Okay, um, I want to pick up on the Digi One uh and talk about this this special um the this new this piece of technology. Sven, I'd I'd like you to tell me a little bit about it. We've heard a lot from Rude. Let's let's hear a bit of you. Let's let's get a bit of Sven's opinion. So tell us a bit about the Digi1.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's uh uh developing a new uh a new printer. Um yeah, and it will be our new um uh model of printer for the high speed direct-to-object uh printing, of course. Um yeah, and we really see it as um, yeah, you say a substitute to the old printing uh bad printing technique. And um yeah, we we expect that the DG1 will be uh a market change for these automation builders, but also for the system integrators because um yeah, it's a it's it's much smaller in size. So give us an idea.
SPEAKER_01How how big is this? How you know is it is it kind of a tabletop size? Is it you know give us an idea?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Ruth, can you help me on this? Because we only saw it on 3D.
SPEAKER_02Uh uh, really uh you can see it is tabletop size. Yeah, that's what I I had it in my mind and it was tabletop size. Um it's replacing, you can see it's pad printing. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So basically that's the replacement. Okay, okay, yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then it's accessible, um, um, it's a it's it's uh a low threshold. Uh so um we think it's an easy uh yeah, easy step for these companies to um uh yeah to do this transition to the single pass digital ink yet printing.
SPEAKER_01Yep. So so okay, I'm interested. I'm interested in this product. What kind of money are we talking about? We talk if you talk about money now. Uh yeah, I thought you might say that, but but give us a rough guideline of the way you're looking at the financial.
SPEAKER_02That it is uh substantially lower than, of course, the the bigger machines, of course, yeah, uh attractive. Uh but to be honest, the the end price is also not set yet. So I cannot tell you uh about it. I can only tell you, and that is also as you know, we also presented the Digi1 already on the future plan in Munich. Yeah, uh the feedback was really great.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's why I think Rude, I think this is gonna be something that people are very excited by.
SPEAKER_02Well, I'm sure, because we have uh really uh a lot of feedback uh that is already talking about uh high quantities.
SPEAKER_03Exactly.
SPEAKER_02But uh I I cannot yet launch any price.
SPEAKER_01Uh so so so my understanding there is because you potentially could be selling more than one machine into a customer, so it could be the multi-machine purchase, but in terms of the deal across that, um, then you know obviously it depends on how many. If if you're buying 20, then you're buying 20, it's gonna be a different price than the single price. I I get that. I'm I think what I'm trying to get to is how it would compare comparably with a pad printer cost.
SPEAKER_02So if you were going to a competitive pad printer, I think yeah, it's not I think that uh the pad printing machine uh still is uh and the investment will be lower, but don't forget, you have a direct digital solution. That means all our digital. Digital solution that comes with all the advantages of digital printing and comes with our digital software platform. And so the print manager software is also coming with this uh uh application, and don't forget, we use our uh modules that we uh also use in other uh DJs, and we can use it again because of course we have our flow modules and so we already have our software environment, and yeah, and if you then make the calculation for the complete solution, yeah, then I think this digital solution, yeah, it adds more functionality. So I think that the investment is more interesting.
Distribution Partners And Global Growth
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and to be honest with you, Ruth, you're gonna be saving things on ink as well, aren't you? Because it's not the wastage that you get. And also the consumers and the consumables. So the the the economics of it are always going to be more effective. Yeah, just it's quite an interesting proposition. There are not many companies with a single pass or with a piece of technology like this that's a direct digital competitor with um pad printing, and that's quite exciting for the market. The opportunities are significant, and uh as you said yourself, you know, it was there was people liked it at the future print event, and I'm sure that the market will be very interested to find out more about it. Um comes to fruition. Can I just ask you, um, how are you distributing it?
SPEAKER_02Are you going through partner pipe cup companies or yeah, it is interesting because um we are now yeah speeding up with our partner network? Yeah, great. This morning this morning, and it is really true. Uh this um I I finalized also partnership uh with Scandinavia. Nice. So there is uh they they will um represent uh the four countries there, but we also uh already have uh now uh a good collapse uh collaboration with commercial partners in the US. So and that is really going very well. Mexico, and we already already had Mexico, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. And now recently uh we're working with Scandinavia and Poland and Turkey. So you see, um yeah, more and more interesting uh partners are really interested uh to have our uh single pass printing solutions available for their uh market as well, and that helps us that uh that is obvious. Um they help us, of course, expand our market yeah very fast. And uh the interesting thing is that they can follow up local leads uh that uh regenerate uh and give them to them, but they also have their own sales and marketing activities. Of course, they communicate in uh the native languages, yeah. Uh and it helps us.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and they know their markets locally, don't they?
SPEAKER_02That's absolutely it's they already know them. But it's also interesting, uh they are all they have their own network, they are already uh with uh interesting customers with other technology, and they can just have a look uh whether they are interested to to make the transition to digital, yeah and then yeah.
SPEAKER_01So just to finish off, Rude, just to finish off, because I think people would be interested to know what what do you think the the application for the Digi One is gonna be? So is it product decoration? Is it what what do you see the market as?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, you know, in fact um it is product decoration, but I I see it in uh printing variable data in combination with uh logos or OEMs. Uh so I think that what what Sven mentioned uh that we we focus uh on electronics and that is I think already a very interesting industry. Yeah, um, and uh yeah, I can think about a lot of application in that direction.
Where The Team Travels Next
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think you're right. I think it's interesting when we did the open house at uh Bergstein, um, you know, people were from a variety of different organizations, but there were people who make parts for white goods, you know, the kind of small electrical parts that go inside a white good, a microwave oven, uh a washing machine. And and it's kind of a little plastic piece, is this not very large? And it's the kind of thing that's gonna be uh the potential for this. If you've got to put a code on or colour on, or you want to mark it in some way, you know, that's got great potential. Um, Jess, I just want to pick up as we come to the end of the podcast. Um, you mentioned Rude, you mentioned uh some of the countries that you are uh targeting, and I know that Bergstein's very strong in the US and uh Europe and Scandinavia. Um, obviously, uh I just interested to hear from Sven. Sven, what where are you having to travel to? Where are your kind of as as new sales manager, where are you going to in the next few months?
SPEAKER_00That's a good question. Um uh um I probably I will join um uh a bit of towards um uh Turkey in the next few months. Um interesting. We have interesting, interesting leads over there, and um yeah, for the rest, I have to gain, of course, also my own leads and make sure that we uh that I uh um uh go to the places where it's needed.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and and Rude, where are you? Are you at are you going out to the US? I know that you're quite active in the US. Are you looking at Asia? Just give me a little bit of an overview.
SPEAKER_02I just saw that in fact, US is uh now really uh having a lot of interesting business going on, and there are a lot of opportunities, but uh also uh with our new um uh business in Scandinavia and Poland, uh there is there are a lot of interesting requirements coming in. Yep. So I think uh this will be also uh uh yeah uh the focus uh in the next months.
SPEAKER_01So so the two of you may be traveling to Scandinavia and uh possibly to Poland. East or East, yeah. No, it's interesting, it's just interesting to hear where you're thinking. I mean, obviously, Eastern Europe, Poland, you know, there's there's there's still manufacturing, there's manufacturing there.
SPEAKER_02So but of course, uh for us, uh the German-speaking area, yeah. Germany, Austria, Switzerland, that is always our uh bank gardener. So we are close to the border, as you know. So Germany and uh Austria and Switzerland, uh they are we are always traveling there, also of course.
Final Thoughts And Thanks
SPEAKER_01Sure, sure. And and as you and this continues to be interest in the director shape uh Germany is also very interested, yeah, yeah, and still manufacturing, you know, as as we know, we had uh companies like Robert Bosch down at the event in Munich, uh who, you know, are still very interested, interesting in that kind of product uh product production. Uh gentlemen, we've come to the end. Would you believe it's 30 minutes? I did say it would go very quickly. It's been an absolute pleasure to talk to you both. Sven, thank you in your early days of of being at Bergstein and Rude, you've been there three years. You don't look any older than you were when I first saw you. Um all I could all I would say is it'd be an absolute pleasure to speak to you both. Um, thank you very much for giving us a bit of insight um into the Bergstein world and and particularly, particularly your your new product, the Digi One. Uh, really exciting the way that this is developing. And um and I know that we're thinking about um the future, and we'll certainly be seeing the Digi One, I hope, in in Munich next year at our event, uh FuturePrint event in April. So, gentlemen, thank you very much. Really nice to speak to you, and I will catch up with you soon another time. Thank you.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for having us and uh see you soon. Um thank you very much. Thank you very well.
SPEAKER_05Thank you for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, you can subscribe now for more great audio content coming up. And visit futureprint.tech for the latest news, partner interviews, in depth industry research, and to catch up on content from future print events. We'll see you next time on the Future Print podcast.
